Electric toy trackage



May 30', 1933.

L. G. HANDY ELECTRIC TOY TRACKAGE 3 Sheets-Shet 1 Original Filed Sept.18 1926 Am. 5m, QN

INVENTR A L. Gessford Ha m15/ BY ATTORN EY 30, 1933. 1 G. HANDY I l1912193 ELECTRIC TOY TRACKAGE Original Filed Sept. 18 1926 3Sheets-Sheet 2 S14/manto@ May 30, 1933- L. G. HANDY ELECTRIC TOYTRAGKAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Sept. 18. 1926 L. fogEN W 2ATTORNEY Patented May 3G, 1933 a a tra E a .eng

ELECTRG TOY TRACKAGE Original application filed September 18, 1926,Serial No. 136,359, now Patent No. 1,753,147, dated April 1,

. 1930. Divided and this application led February 19, 1930. Serial No.429,794.

Y This invention relates to trackage for toy electric trains, suchV forinstance as is contained in my Patent No. 1,636,416, July 19th, 1927,and in my co-pending application Serial No.,136,359 filed Sept. 16,1926,now Patent No. 1,753,147, dated Apr. 1, 1930, the presont applicationbeing a division of said men# tioned co-pending application.

An objectofthe present invention is Vto provide improved means wherebythe passage of a train along the toy electric trackage may be made tocontrol the operation of auxiliary devices such assigne-ls and the like.

A further object is to provide a readily attachable and detachableattachment adapt` ed to be attached to the toy electric trackage, saidsection being constructed to provide mieans whereby the passage of atrain over said attachment will complete a shunt circuit, in parallelwith the train circuit, for controlling one or more auxiliary devices.

A further object is to, provideV an attachment particularlyadapted forconvenient attachment to any toy electric track section and which whenso attached will transform said toy electric track section and enablethe use of said section for controlling one or more auxiliary devicesconnected thereto.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific thanthose referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed outin the course of the following description of the elements,combinations, ar-

rangements of Darts and a licatioiis of rin- C l l ciples v constitutingthe invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be in-ldicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying` drawings which are to be taken as a part of thisspecification, and in which l have shown merely a preferred form ofembodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of anelectric toy track system and illustrating one of the presentattachments operatively connected therewith. y 'l Fig. 2 is a top planview of one of the toy electric track sections ofrw'hich the `systemFig. 1 is built, said section havingonel of the present improvedattachments shown in operative position thereon.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the improved attachmentAappearing in F ig. 2. Y i

kldigu4 is an end view of the improved attachment showing the same inuseupon the track section seen in` Fig. 2, said track section beingshown in transverse section.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view illustrating a moditied arrangement of thecontact strip and of the fastening means employed, with respect to therails. j

Fig. 6 is a topplan view similar'to Fig. 2 but illustrating amodification according to which the contact strip employed is adapted tostand adjacent to the power rail, and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the structure ofhFig. 6.

Referring to the drawings for. describing in detailv .the structureillustrated therein, the reference characters L and Gr indicate the twometallic wheel bearing rails of an electric toy track section, and thereference character HY indicates the intermediate or third, metallicrail of said section. These three separate rails are connected togetherby cross tie means, such as the three metallic cross ties l, 2 and 3 asillustrated.

Theintermediate or third7 rail is insulat ed from the other rails andfrom the cross ties by insulating member 4-%4 as is customary.

The wheel bearing rails L and Gr as shown are not insulated from thecross ties. They are held in metallic contact with said cross ties asby'means of the tangs 5-5 provided upon the cross ties for this purposeand hence are in constant, electrical connection with said cross ties. lY

Each of the rails L, G and H is provided with connecting means at itsopposite ends by which itmay be readily mechanically and electricallyconnected in track forming relation with aligned rails of adjacent othertoy track sections. As an illustration of means for this purpose thedrawings herewith show said rails to be formed with sockets at theirends and metallic pins 6 6 for engaging in said sockets, said pins beingadapted to eX- 100 tend into similar sockets provided in the alignedrails of adjacent other toy track sections.

rihe track system illustrated in Fig. 1 is made up of a series of toyelectric track sections constructed as thus described, said sectionsbeing connect-ed together end to end in a well known manner. A source ofelectrical energy is indicated at 7 with a conductor 8 leading from oneside thereof to the third rail of the system, and with a conductor as9'from its opposite side connected with the two wheel bearing rails ofthe system, it being noted that although the conductor 9 is shown inFig. 1 as having direct connection with both of the wheel bearing railsit is usually suiiicient to connect said conductor directly with onlyone of said rails, the current being ted to the other wheel bearing`rail through the several metallic cross ties which provide a metallicbond between the wheel bearing rails as above eXplained.

ln Fig. 1 a signal device to be operated by passing train is indicatedat 10, and the attachment with which thepresent invention isparticularly concerned is indicated by the reference character 11.' Aconductor 12 eX- tends from a part of the attachment 11 to thesignal-device 10, and a second conductor as 13 connects the oppositeside of the signal device with the third rail H of the system. Y

il. train is indicated as travelling along the system said train havingwheels 14 riding upon the wheel bearing rails L and Gr and having acontact shoe 15 riding upon the third rail, the shoe being connected toone side of a train propelling motor 16, the opposite side of the motorbeing mounted. uponthe trame as 17 of the train and hence upon all ofthe wheels ot the train and upon the wheel bearing rails L and G.

The propelling circuit for the train is of the usual type well known inthis art, namely, from source 7 through conductor 8 to the third,'orpower, rail, through the shoe 15 and motor 16 to ground upon the frameof the train and back to the opposite side of the source through thewheel bearing or ground7 rails L and G.

A shunt circuit through the signal device 10 is closed as soon as one ofthe wheels of the train rides into engagement with the portion 'j of thepresent attachment, said shunt cir-' cuit being in parallel with thetrain circuit as follows: from source i alongl the third rail toconductor 13, through the signal device and back, by vway of conductor12, to the portion 11, and thence, by way or" the wheel which is inengagement with said portion 11, to ground upon the frame ot the train,and back along the wheel bearing rails to the oppo- Y site side of thesource.

Vment of parts of the present attachment may lation thereto as toprovide a wedge-shaped channel along which the Harige of the car wheelwill travel and make contact between the rail and the strip. It will ofcourse be understood that the strip may if desired be shaped to provide'a bottom wall as 18 upon which the peripheral portion of the flange ofthe wheel could ride.

Also, if desired, the strip may be suitably resilient so that thepassage of the flange of the carwheel between said strip and the railwill cause the portion of said strip en` gaged by said flange to besprung away from the rail, thereby insuring a better rubbing contactbetween the wheel and thetrack and strip. Y

The contact strip 11 is mounted upon a suitable separatelyformed-carrier as 19 by which said strip may be readily attached to orremoved from any toy electric track section.'V Y

The carrier 19 as illustrated consists essentially of two separatecarrier plates as 2() and 21 of insulating material connected togetherby the strip 11 which is supplied with flanges 22-22 for this purpose.

Shoulders, or hooks, as 23-23, and co-operative latch members 24 areprovidedy by whichV the plates 2O and 21 may be quickly and easilyattached to the track section. One of the latch members 24 iselectrically connected with a binding post 25, and one of the flanges 22is electrically connected' with a binding` post 26, said two bindingposts being carried by the plate 20 and adapted for the attachment ofthe auxiliary device 10 by means of the conductors 12 and 13.

The shoulders or hook forming members 23 are fixed upon the plates 20-21in any ap-4 proved inanner as for instance by means of rivets as 27 sothat they are rigid with said plates and insulated from all lother partsof the attachment.

The latch members 24 are pivotally-mounted upon pivot pins as 28 whichpreferably extend through the plates20 and 21 and one ot saidpivot pinsbeing connected with a metallic strip as 29 at the lower side of theplate 20, said strip extending along the lower side of said plate andlbeing' connected with the binding post 25.

' The flanges 22-22 of the contact strip 11 may be fixed to the plates20-21 in any approved manner but for convenience are shown to be held byrivets as 30 which extend through the plates, one of said rivets beingconnected with a metallic strip as 81 at the lower side of the plate 20said strip 'extending along the lower side of said plate and beingconnected with the binding post 26.

One of the flanges 22 is Vconstructed to bridge directly between the twoplates 20 and 21, and this flange is providedwith a re-inforcing rib as32 co-operative with the contact strip 11 to stiffen the connectionbetween the two plates 2O and 21. The mentioned flange 22 is bowedupwardly so as to bridge in insulated relationship over the cross tie 2of the track section.

In attaching this attachment to a toy track section the insulatingplates 20-21 are introduced edgewise downwardly v between the trackrails G and H, the plate 2O being positioned between cross ties 1 and 2and the plate 21 being positioned between cross ties 2 and 3. The hooksor shoulders 23 are moved into engagement with the flange as 33 of thewheel bearing, or ground, rail G andthe attachment is then rotated aboutsaid flange as a pivot to bring the plates into a substantially hori-Zontal position wherein the latch members 24 can be readily rotated intogripping relation with the flange 34-34 of the power rail H. Engagementof the latch members with the flange 34 serves to hold the hooks 23 infirm and predetermined relationship with the rail G, and at the sametime makes electrical engagement with the power rail H and holds theattachment against accidental displacement, the contact strip 11 beingthus positioned in the precise desired relationship to the rail G.

Removal of the attachment may of course be readily effected by simplyreleasing .the latch members-24 and lifting the attachment out frombetween the rails.

The binding posts 25 and 26 are provided merely for convenienceof'attachment of the conductors 13 and 12 with the metallic strips 29and 31, and hence with the power rail and with the contact strip 11,respectively.

The contact strip 11 and the latch or locking devices 24 both beingmounted upon the insulating base members or plates 20-21 arer therebyinsulated from each other. The shoulder or hook forming members 23,being also mounted upon this base member as above described, said basemember thus constitutes what may be properly termed an insulatingsupport for the contact strip and for the fastening devices.

It is noted that the latch devices 24 each provide both upper and lowerjaws for grip` ping about the flange 34 of theV power rail,v and thuswhen these latching devices are in latching position they serve to holdthe plates 20-21 against both upward and downward movement.

The attachment as thus described constitutes a readily attachable anddetachable connector which when attached to an electric toy track systemwill provide means by which to connect to said system an electricallyoperf able auxiliary signal or like device in a shunt circuit parallelVwith the train circuit.

It will be understood that whilethis device is shown and described asbeing of appropriate form and proportions adapting it for use as anattachment-upon individual elec-v tric toy track sections of the typenow well known'in commerce, yet the inventive principles of the deviceare equally usable irrespective of the type of track sections to whichthe device is connected and in fact irrespective ofY whether the tracksystem be made up of separable sections or not. n

In the modification Fig. 5 it is suggested that the contact strip,indicated 35, may, if preferred, be arranged outside of the rail G so asto be engaged by the main tread portion of a passing car wheel insteadofby the flange portion of said wheelV as in the previous iigures. Thismodification further'suggests that if desired the fasteningmeans bywhich to connect the device with the rails of the track section may beso arranged that the shoulders or hook members 23 will engage the powerrail H and the latch or locking device 24 will engage the wheel bearingrail G.' The hook member 23 is electrically connectedwith the bindingpost 25, and the contact'strip 35 is electrically connected with theYbinding post 26, said two binding posts being adapted for theattachment'of auXiliarydevices, as 10,'`

thereto as in the previous figures, and the circuits, and all otherfeatures of the device,v

are the same as already described.

I n the modification Figs. 6 and 7 itis suggested that the contactstrip, here indicated by the reference character 37, may, if preferred,be arranged ininsulated association adjacent tothe central or power railH so as to be engaged by the motor brush or contact shoe as 38 of apassing train, which brush or shoe rests upon both said contact stripand power rail H. The manner inv which the contact shoe bridges the gapbetween the contact strip and the power rail is clearly illustrated inFig. 7.

|`The manner of connecting this attachment onto the track may be thesame as hereinbefore described, but the drawings suggest that if desiredthe insulating plates may be provided with apair of metallic shoulderparts,

as 39 and 40 for engaging the power rail and one of the wheel bearingrails respectively.

and adapted to be placedy into gripping engagement with said rails as byfirst slipping the shoulders 39 over the bottom part of the power railand then snapping the shoulders 40 onto the lower part of the wheelbearing rail, as will be readily apparent from the drawings. l

The contact strip 37 may be rigidly mount# ed upon the insulatingsupporting plates 2OA and 21 inthe same manner as described withreference to the previous structures. Also one of these plates may beprovided with wire terminals, as 41 and 42. rlhe terminal 41 may beelectrically connected with the conf tact strip 37 as by means of aconductor 43,

and the terminal 42 may be electrically connected with the metallicshoulder which engages the wheel bearing rail as by a conductor 44. i

- The circuit for operating the auxiliary device l0 in this instance maybe traced as follows: from one side of the source 7 along one or both ofthe wheel bearing rails, through the shoulder 40, conductor 44, terminal42 and conductor 45 to one side of the device 10. Thence throughconductor 46, terminal 4l, conductor 43 to the insulated contact strip37, and by means ot the contact shoe 38, when said shoe is present, intothe power rail H and back to the opposite side oi the source.

It may bejhere pointed out that the contact strip 37 and likewise thecontact strips as shown in any of the other structures herein, may irPdesired be provided with suitable electrical connecting means by whichthey may be electrically connectedwith similar contact strips attachedto adjacent portions of the track to thereby aord added length ofcontact strip to be engaged by the co-operative part of the passingcar.- By connecting together several sections of contact strip mountedend to end along the length of the track it will be necessary to makeelectrical connection between the auxiliary device Il() and only onesection ofthe contact strip; it being understood that this is truewhether the contact strip be associated kwith the power rail or with oneof the wheel bearing rails. To accomplish this result thel drawing F ig.6 suggests that vthe contact strip 37 may be of tubular form similar tothe rails and that a metallic pin as 47 may project from one end, theopposite end providing a socket as 48 within which a pin as 47 of anadjacent contact strip section may frictionally engage, as clearlyindicated at the left hand y end of Fig. 6, the joint being of the samegeneral character as that employed tor the connecting together ot therails of the standard toy electric track section. Y

As many changes could be made in this construction without departingfrom the scope of the invention as defined in the tollowing claims, itis intended that all matter contained in the above description, or showninthe accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative onlyand notV in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is i l. A detachable connector for toy electricrailroads, comprising means for detachably mounting the connector on tworails of toy track and a contact carried thereon adapted to stand spacedfrom a wheel bearing rail in a position to be engaged by the liange of acar wheel passing along said wheel bearing rail.

2. A detachable connector for toy electric railroad track, comprising aninsulating support carrying a plurality of wire terminals, a hookcooperable with the power rail and electrically connected to one of theterminals, a locking device cooperable with a wheel bearing rail whenthe hook is engaged with the power rail to releasably hold the connectorin place, and a resilient member carried by the insulating supportelectrically connected with the other terminal and positioned to standinside a wheel bearing rail so as to be engaged by a car wheel flange asthe wheel passes along said rail.

3. A connector for use with three-rail toy electric railroad track, saidconnector having a hook and catch cooperable with the central rail and awheel bearing rail for releasably fastening the connector in place, aContact supported inside a wheel bearing rail in position to be engagedby a flange on a car wheel passing along said wheel bearing rail, and aterminal for the contact, all these parts being secured to an insulatingsupport and attachable to and detachable from the toy railroad track asa unit.

4. In a toy electric railroad, a section of track having track rails andan insulated central rail, a signal device, and a detachable connectorelectrically'connected with the signal device, said connector havingmeans for detachably supporting it from the central rail and one of thetrack rails and at the same time establishing electrical connection fromthe central rail to the signal device, and a contact electricallyconnected with the signal device and carried by the connector adjacent atrack rail in a position to engage the liabrlige of a car wheel passingalong said track rai 5. In a toy electric railroad, comprising a seriesof toy electric track sections connected together end to end and eachsection consisting of opposite wheel bearing rails and an intermediatepower rail, and a source of electrical energy connected with said powerrail and with at least one of said wheel bearing'rails for therebypropelling a vehicle along the track in the usual manner, thecombination therewith of a separately formed attachment consisting of anelectrically opera-ble device and connecting means by which saidelectrically operable device may be readily detachably connected withsaid track to operate in parallel with the propelling motor of thevehicle incident to the passage of the vehicle over any selected tracksection to which the attachment may be attached, said connecting 'meansincluding means by which it may be conveniently attached to or removedfrom any track section without removal of modification of said sectionand including also a contact arranged, when the attachment is attached,in position adjacent the track rail for engagement by a part of thepassing vehicle.

6, An attachment for toy electric track sections,.said attachmentcomprising a support, means by which the support may be readily7detachably connected with the track section, said means including a hookto engage one member of the track section and a latch operable to engageanother member of the track section in a manner to hold itself and thehook in engagement with the respective members of the track section and'a contact carried by the support arranged to stand, when the attachmentis attached to a track section, insulated from the track section inposit-ion to be engaged by a part of a passing vehicle for receivingcurrent therefrom.

l 7. In a toy electric railroad, the combination including a trackprovided with a pair of wheel bearing rails and an insulated power rail,a connector including an insulating support having a pair ofwire'terminals in insulated relation thereon for the attachment of asignal device thereto, means by which said connector is readilyattachable to said tra ck at any selected locality along said track andby which it is as readily detachable from the track at will, said meansincluding parts to at once mechanically connect the connector to therails and place one of' said terminals in electric connection with oneot said rails, and a contact member carried by said connector as a unittherewith in electric connection with the other terminal and disposed sothat when the connector is attached said contact will stand in positionto be engaged by a portion of a car passing along the track inengagement with another et said rails.

8. In a toy electric railroad the combination including a track providedwith a pair of wheel bearing rails and an insulated power rail, aconnector including an insulating support having a pair of wireterminals in insulated relation thereon for the attachment oat a signaldevice thereto, means by which said connector is readily attachable tosai-d track at any selected locality along said track and by which it isas readily detachable from the track at will, said means Vincludingparts to at once. mechanically connect the connector to the rails andplace one of said terminals in electric connection with the power rail,and a contact member carried by the connector as av unit therewith inelectric conn-ection with the other terminal and disposed so that whenthe connector is attached said contact will stand in close proximity toone ot the wheel bearing rails to be engaged by a part ot a car wheelmoving along said wheel bearing rail.

9. In a toy electric railroad, th-e combination including a trackprovided with a pair ot wheel bearing rails and an insulated power iail,a connector including an insulating support having a pair ot wireterminals in insulated relation thereon tor the attachment A of a signal-device thereto, means by which the track at will, said means consistingot a v metallic holding member carried by said in-` sulating support todet-achably `engage about a portion ot one rail, and a secon-d metallicholding member in insulated relation to the first holding member andmovable to detachably eng-age about a portion of another rail, aconductor extending between one of said holding members and one of saidterminals, a flexible contact member `carried upon said. insulatingsupport consisting ot a strip ot flexible metal and being disposed inaposition to be engaged and flexed by apart ot a passing car when theconnector is attached, and a second conductor ext-ending between saidflexible contact and the second terminal.

l0. In a toy electric railroad the combination including a trackprovided with a pair of wheel bearing rails and an insulated power rail,a connector carrying its own means for readily detachably mounting itpartly upon one ot said whe-el bearing rails and partly upon said powerrail, said connector when thus mounted being in conductive communicationwith said power rail, a contact member carried by sai-d connectorinsulated therefrom, said contact member being so positioned upon saidconnector that when said connector is in position upon the track saidcontact member is disposed adjacent to but spaced from one of Ysaidwheel bearing rails to be engaged by the iange of a car wheel movingalong said rail, a signal device disposed adjacent the track, andVconductors extending from said signal device to said connector and tosaid contact member carried thereby.

1l. In a toy electric'railroad the combination including a t-oy trackconsisting ot a pair of wheel bearing rails, an insulated power rail andcross-ties by which said rails are connected together, a connectorcarrying its own means tor readily detachably mounting it upon the trackat -any selected point in the length of the track, said connector whenthus mounted being in conductive communication with a rail of on-epolarity, a contact member carried'by said connector` and insulatedtherefrom, said Contact member being so positioned upon said connectorthat when said connector is in position upon the track said Contactmember is disposed in position to establish an electrical connectionwith a part ota car moving along the rails'of said track which part haselectrical connection with a rail of a. polarity opposite to that of therail with which the connector is iii conductive communication, a signaldevice, and conductors entendi ng from said signal device to saidconnector and to said contact member carried thereby. t Y

12. A detachable'connector for toy electricrailroad tracks, saidconnector comprisico ing an insulating plate carrying a stationaryfastening device engageable with a rail of one polarity, a pivotedfastening device engageable with a rail of opposite polarity, a wireterminal permanently electrically connected with one of said fasteningdevices, a contact carried by the plate insulated from both of saidfastening devices and elevated. with respect thereto in a positionadapted to be engaged by a portion of a car moving along the railengaged by the fastening def vice which is not electricallyconnectedwith said terminal and a second wire terminal permanentlyconnected with said contact.

13. A detachable connector for toy electric railroad track, comprising apair oi' insulating supports, means by which said supports are rigidlyconnected together in spaced relation to each other so as'to receive across tie of the track structure in insulated relation between them,att-aching means to detachably attach the connector upon the track, anda contact strip supported jointly by said supports to stand in positionto be engaged by a part of a car passing-along the track, a wireterminal connected with saidl contact strip, and a second wire 'terminaladapted to have connection with a rail of the track through saidattaching means.

14. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, comprising asupport, means for detachably mounting the support on two rails of thetoy track and a contact carried upon the support adapted, when thesupport is mounted upon the "track, to stand spaced from the power railof the track in position to be engaged by a car contact shoev passingalong said power rail and for the purpose of controlling an electriccircuit.

'15. In a toy electric railroad, a length of track having wheel bearingrails and an insulated central rail, a signal device, and a detachableconnector electrically connected with the signal device, said connectorhaving means by which it may be detachably mounted upon at least tworails track and at the same time'establishing electrical connectionbetween the signal device and a wheel bearing rail, and a contactelectrically connected with the signal device and carried by theconnector adapted, when the connector is mounted upon the track, tostand adjacent to the central rail in position to he engaged by a carcontact shoe passing along said central rail.

16. In a toy electric railroad the combination including a toy trackconsisting of a pair of wheel bearing rails, an insulated power rail andcross-ties by which said rails are connected together, a connectorcarrying its own means for readily detachably mounting it upon the trackat any selected point in the length of the track, said connector whenthus mounted being in conductive communication withone of the wheelbearing rails,

of the toy a contact member carried by Asaid connector and insulatedtherefrom, said contact member being so positioned upon said connectorthat when said connector is 1n position upon the track said contactmember is disposed in position to establish an electrical connectionwith a part of a car moving along the rails of said track which part haselectrical connection with the power rail, a signal device, andconductors extending from said signal device to said connector and tosaid contact member carried thereby.

17. In a toy electric railroad, the combination including a trackprovided with a pair of wheel bearing rails and an insulated power rail,a connector including an insulating support having a pair of wireterminals in insulated relation thereon for the attachment of a signaldevice thereto, means by which said connector is readily attachable tosaid track at any selected locality along said track and by which it isas readily detachable trom the track at will, said means including partsto at once mechanically connect the connector to the rails and place oneof said terminals in electric connection with one of the wheel bearingrails, and a contact memberl carried by the connector as a unittherewith in electric connection with the other terminal and disposed sovthat when the connector is attached said contact will stand in closeproximity to the powerrail so as to be engaged by a car contact shoemoving along said power rail.

18. In a toy electric railroad, comprising a series of toy electrictrack sections connected together end to end and each section consistingof opposite wheel bearing rails and an intermediate power rail, and asource of electrical energy connected with said power rail and with atleast one of said wheel bearing rails for thereby propelling a vehiclealong the track in theusual manner, the combination therewith of aseparately formed attachment consisting of an electrically operabledevice and connecting means by which said electrically operable devicemay be readily detachably connected with said track to operate inparallel with the propelling motor et the 'vehicle incident to thepassage of the vehicle over any selected track section to which saidelectrically operable device may be connected, said connecting meansbeing construct-ed at its opposite ends to provide for mating electricalengagement with other like separately formed connectingmeans connectedwith the track in alignment with'they mentioned connecting means. n

19'. In a toy electric railroad, comprising a series ot toy electrictrack sections connected together end to end and each section consistingof opposite wheel bearing rails and an intermediate power rail, and asource of electrical energy connected with said power Vrailand with atleast one of said Wheel bearing rails for thereby propelling a vehiclealong the track in the usual manner, the combination therewith of aseparately formed attachment consisting of an electrically operabledevice and connecting means by which said electrically operable devicemay be readily detachably connected Awith said track to operate inparallel with the propelling motor of the vehicle incident to thepassage of the vehicle over any selected track section'to which saidelectrically operable device may be connected, said connecting meansincluding a contact strip adapted to extend longitudinally of the trackin position to be engaged by a part oi' the passing vehicle and having asocketV at one end and a connecting pin at the other end whereby likecontact strips of other separately formed attachments may be readilyelectrically connected therewith.

' 20. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where saidrailroad includes atoy electric track section made up of a vpower railand two wheelfbearingrails spaced from each other in parallel relationand a plurality of cross-ties also spaced from each other and connectedwith the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary ass-einbly, thepower rail being insulated from all the other mentioned elements, saidconnector comprising means for readily detachably mounting it upon twoof the mentioned spaced elements of said toy electric track section, anda contact carried thereon adapted to stand adjacent to one of the railsof said section in position to be engaged by a car part moving alongsaid rail.

2l. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where saidrailroad includes a toy electric track section made up of a power railand two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relationand a plurality of cross-ties also spaced from each other andconnectedwith the rails to hold all of said elements in unitaryassembly, the power rail being insulated from all the other mentionedelements, said connector comprising means forv readilyv detachablymounting it upon two of the mentioned spaced elements of said toyelectric track section and for at the same time establishing electricalconnection with one of the rails of said track section, and a contactcomprised in said connector adapted, when the connector is mounted uponthe track section, to stand spaced from another rail of.

said track section in position to be engaged by a car part moving alongsaid last rail.

Q2. As an articleof manufacture, an electric toy track section intendedfor removable insertion into track forming relation with other electrictoy .track sections in the usual mann-er, said section being made up ofspaced wheel bearing rails and an intermediate insulated third railwithfcross-tie means by which all of: the rails are mechanically con--nected together for unitary handling andr said section having attachingmeans at its opposite ends by which to removably, mechaniupon andcarried by said plate in position to be engaged by a passing car part, apair oi' wire terminals carried by said plate spaced apartthereonadapted for the attachment of opposite conductors thereto, and apair of conducting vmembers also carried by said plate electricallyconnecting said terminals respectively with said contact and with a railof said toy track section, and said plate of insulating material andsaid contact and said wire terminals and said conducting members allforming component parts of the complete removably insertible toy tracksection,

23. ln a toy electricrailroad, a toy electric track section made up of apower rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced 'from each other inparallel relation and a pluralityl of cross-ties also spaced Jfrom eachother and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements inunitary assembly, the power rail being insulated from all the othermentioned elements, a signal device to bel operated by the passage of acar along said track section, a contact formed separate from the tracksection intended to be attached to orremoved from said track section atwill, a conductor wire providing electrical connection between saidcontact and one side of the signal device, means carried as a unit withsaidcontact by which the contact maybe readily detacliably mounted upontwo of the mentionedy spaced elements of said track section ininsulatedclose proximity to one of the rails of the track section and in positionto be engaged by a car part moving along the track section, and meansproviding electrical connection between another rail of the tracksection and the opposite side of the signal device.

24. In a toy electric railroad, a toy electric track section made up ofa power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each otherinvparallel relation and intermediate and end metallic cross-ties alsospaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all ofl saidelements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated from allthe other men-` tioned-elements, a pair of insulating supports spacedapart one at each sideof an intermediate cross-tie, a contact bridgingsaid intermediate cross-tie in insulated relation thereto and inposition to be engaged by a car part moving `'along the track section,said contact vUl being mounted by its opposite end portions upon saidpair of insulating supports, and means by Vwhich said insulatingsupports are mounted upon two of the mentioned spaced elements of thetrack section.

25. In a toy electric railroad, a toy elec` tric track section made upof a power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other inparallel relation and intermediate and end metallic cross-ties alsospaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all of saidelements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated `from allthe other mentioned elements, a pair of insulating supports spaced apartone at each side of a cross-tie of the section, and a contact mountedupon said pair of supports bridging said mentioned cross-tie and held bysaid supports spaced from said mentioned cross-tie in position to beengaged by a car part moving along the track section, there being meansassociated with said insulating supports to engage at least two of thementioned spaced elements of the track section to predetermine theposition of the contact with respect to the rails of the section.

'26. In a toy electric railroad, a toy electric track section made up ofa power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other inparallel relation' and intermediate and end metallic cross-ties alsospaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all ot' saidelements in unitary assembly,

`the power rail being insulated from the other mentioned rails, a pairof insulating supports spaced apart and carried by the track section oneat each side of an intermediate cross-tie, and a contact mounted uponsaid pair of supports bridging said intermediate cross-tie and held bysaid supports spaced from said mentioned intermediate cross-tie inposition to be engaged by a car part moving along the track section,there being means associated with said insulating supports extending toengage at least two of the mentioned spaced rails of the track sectionto predetermine the position of the Contact with respect to at least oneof said last mentioned spaced rails.

27. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where saidrailroad includes a toy electric track section made up of a power railand two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relationand a plurality of cross-ties also spacedV from each other and connectedwith the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, thepower rail being insulated from all the other mentioned elements, saidconnector Vcomprising a pair of insulating supports spaced apart. a.contact strip extending between'and being fixed to said insulatingsupports serving to hold them mechanically connected together forunitary handling, and means by which said insulating supports may bedetachably mounted upon two of the mentioned spaced elements of thetrack section vadapted to hold the contact strip in position to beengaged by a car part moving along the track section. j i

28. A vconnector for toy electric railroads, where said railroadincludes a toy electric track section made upl of a power railand twowheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relation and aplurality of crossfties also spaced from each other and connected withthe rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the powerrail being insulated from all the other mentioned elements, saidconnector comprising a pail' of insulating supports spaced apart, acontact stripextending between and being fixed to said insulatingsupports serving to hold them mechanically connected together forunitary handling,said insulating supports and said contact strip beingadapted to be positioned intermediate two adjacent rails of the tracksection, and saidk insulating supports having parts to utilize said twoadjacent rails to hold the contact in operative spaced relation withrespect to said two adjacent rails and in position to be engaged by acar part moving along one of said adjacent rails.

29. 'A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where saidrailroad includes a toy electric track section'made up of a power rail'and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relationand intermediate and end metallic cross-ties also spaced .from eachother and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements inunitary assembly, the power rail being insulated'from all the vothermentioned elements, said connector comprising a pair of insulatingsupports spaced apart adapted to stand when the connector is attachedone at each side of a-n intermediate cross-tie, a contact vstripextending between and being iXed to said insulating support-s servingtovhold them mechanically connected together for unitary handling, andmeans b-y which said insulating supports may be detachably mounted upontwo of the mentioned spaced Velements of the track section adapted tohold the contact strip in position bridging the intermediate cross-tiein insulated relation thereto and so as to be engaged by a car partmoving along the track section.

30. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where saidrailroad includes a toy electric track section made up-of a power railand two wheel bearing railsspaced from each other in parallel relationand a plurality of cross-ties also spaced from each other and connectedwith the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, thepower rail being insulated from all the other mentioned elements, saiddetachable connector' comprising two separate supports spaced apart,'two cor-operative attaching devices carried by each support by whicheach supp ort may be independently mechanically .connected .in

supported relation upon tworof the spaced l'lO elements of the tracksection, and a contact strip carried by said two supports collectivelyin insulated relation and so as to be engaged by a current carrying carpart moving along the track section.

31. A detachable connector for toy7V electric railroads, where saidrailroad includes a toy electric track section made up of a power railand two wheel bearing rails spaced `from each other in parallel relationand a plurality of cross-tiesalso spaced from each other and connectedwith the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the'power rail beingjinsulated from all the other mentioned elements, saiddetachable connector comprising an insulating support having a pair ofshoulder parts thereon permanently spaced apart a distance adapting themto lit closely between two of the spaced elements of the track sectionand being shaped and arranged with respect to said two spaced elementsso as to grip said elements by snapping onto at least one of said spacedelements,

where y the connector may be readily snapped onto or ott of the tracksection, and a Contact carried by said insulating support adapted, whenthe connector is snapped on, to stand in position to be engaged by a carpart moving along the track section.

32. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where saidrailroad includes a toy electric track section made up of a power railand two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relationand a plurality of cross-ties also spaced from each other and connectedwith the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, thepower rail being insulated and of opposite polarity from all the othermentioned elements, said detachable connector comprising two separatesupports spaced apart, two co-operative attaching devices carried byeach support by which each support may be independently mechanicallyconnected in supported relation upon two oi5 the spaced elements of thetrack section, and a contact strip carried by said two supportscollectively in insulated relation and so as to be engaged by a currentcarrying car part moving along the track section, a pair of wireterminals carried by one of said supports in insulated relation thereinand said last support being constructed to provide electrical connectionbetween one wire terminal and the contact strip and a separateelectrical connection between the second wire terminal and an element ofthe track section having a polarity opposite to that of the mentionedcar part.V

33. As an article of manufacture, a contact strip adapted for use inassociation with and in addition to the three rails of toy electricrailroad systems, said contact strip raving means by which it may bedetachably attached in insulated operative position in the system andhaving means at at least one of its ends adapted for electricalconnection thereto of a second andotherwise insulated contact strip toserve as an extension of the first.

34. An attachment for toy electric track sections, said attachmentcomprising a support, means by which the support may be .readilydetachably connected with at least two rails of the track section, andacontact carried by the support arrangedto stand, when the attachment isattached to ja track section, insulated from the track section inposition to be engaged bv a part of a passing vehicle for receivingcurrent therefrom. 35. In a toy electric railroad, a toy electric tracksection made up of a power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced fromeach other in parallel relation andi intermediate and end metalliccross-ties also spaced from each other and connected with the rails tohold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the power rail beinginsulated from all the other mentioned elements, a pair of insulatingsupports spaced apart and carried by the track section one at each sideof said intermediate cross tie, and a contactrmounted upon said pair ofsupports bridging .said intermediate cross tie and being held bytsaidsupports spaced ininsulatedrelation from said intermediate cross tie inposition to be engaged by a car part moving along the track Section,

36. As an article of manufacture,v an electric toy track sectionintended to be attached to or removed Jfrom track forming relation withother electric toy track sections in the usual manner, said sectionbeing made up y of spaced wheel bearing rails and an intermediateinsulated power rail with cross-tie means by which all of the railsaremech'anically connected Y together for unitary handling, means bywhich to electrically connect an electrically operable device in circuitwith the power rail and one of the wheel bearing rails of the section tothereby put said elec* trically operable device in shunt with the trackcircuit, and control means for said shunt circuit comprising a metalliccontact member carried by said section in the space between twoofthe'rails thereof in position to be engaged bv a car wheel passingalong one of said wheel bearing rails, and insulating supporting meansfor said contact member having parts extending'to engage said twomentioned rails to thereby utilize said two rails in'holding the contactmember in co-operative relation with the mentioned p wheel bearing rail.

37. In a toy electric railroadvmade up of' a plurality oit' toy tracklsections connected `together end to end, each section comprising spacedwheelbearing rails andan insulated intermediate power rail, a source ofelectric energy having one side electrically connect- A'io ed with thepower rail and. having its other side electrically connected with thewheel bearing rails, connecting means by which to electrically connectanl electrically operable device in circuit with the power rail and withone of the wheel bearing rails to thereby put saidelectrically operabledevice in shunt with the track circuit, said connecting means includinga. contact member positioned in the space between the power rail and oneof said wheel bearing rails adapted to be en- Ygaged bya part of apassing vehicle, and insulatingl supporting` means for said contactmember having paits extending to engage said two mentioned rails tothereby Autilize said two rails in holding the contact member spacedfrom both of said mentioned rails forco-operation with the vehicle part.

38. As an article of manufacture, an electric toy track section intendedto be attached to or removed from track 'forming relation with otherelectric toy track sections in the usual manner, said section being madeup of spaced wheel bearing rails and an intermediate insulated powerrail with crosstie means by which all of the rails are inechanicallyconnected together for unitary handling, means by which to electricallyconnect an electrically operable device in circuit with the power railand'one of thewheel bearing rails ot the section to taereby put saidelectrically operable device in shunt with the track circuit, andcontrol means for said shunt circuit `comprising a metallic contactmember carried by said section in the space between the power rail andone of the wheel bearing rails in position to be engaged by a car wheelpassing along the mentioned wheel bearing rail, said contact memberbeing resiliently Yyieldable under engagement kby said car wheel tothereby'accommodate itself to the position of the car wheel and beinginsulated from the remainder of the section by insulating and supportingmeans which utilizes the two mentioned rails to prevent itsdisplacement.

39. In aY toy electric railroad made up of a-plurality of toy tracksections connected together end to end, each section comprising spacedWheel bearing rails and an insulated intermediate power rail togetherwith cross- .ties extending between saidrails to which the rails areattached, a source of electric energy having one side electricallyconnected with the power rail and having its other side electricallyconnected with the wheel bearing rails, connecting means by wnich toelectrically connect an electrically operable device in circuit with thepower rail and with one of the wheel bearing rails to thereby'put saidelectrically operable device in shunt with the track circuit, saidconnecting means including a contact member positioned in the spacebetween the power rail and one of said wheel bearing rails, andinsulating supporting means other than the cross ties, said insulatingsupporting means servingto support the contact member and utilizing thetwo mentioned rails to hold the contact member spaced from both of saidrails.

40. In a toy electric vrailroad made up of a plurality of toy tracksections connected together end to end, each sectionv comprising spacedwheel bearing rails and an insulated intermediate power rail, togetherwith cross ties extending between said rails to which the' rails areattached, a source of electric energy having one side electricallyconnected with the power' rail and having its other side electricallyconnected with the wheel bearing rails, connecting means by which toelectrically connect an electrically operable device in circuit with thepower rail and with one ot' the wheel bearing rails to thereby put saidelectrically operable device in shunt with the track circuit, saidconnecting means including a contact member positioned in the spacebetween the power rail and one of said wheel bearing rails, andinsulating supporting means other than the cross ties, said insulatingsupporting means serving to support the contact member and havinginsulating parts projecting from opposite sides of the contact membertoward said two rails respectively, and there being means associatedwith said'insulating parts adapted for utilizing` the two mentionedrails to predetermine the position of the contact member with respect toboth of said two mentioned rails.

4l. In a toy electric railroad made up of a plurality of toy tracksections connected together end to end, each section comprising spacedwheel bearing rails and an insulated intermediate power rail togetherwith cross ties extending between said rails to which the rails areattached, a source of electric energy having one side electricallyconnected with the power rail and having its other Aside `electricallyconnected with the wheel bearing rails, connecting means by which toelectrically connect an electrically operable device in circuit with thepower rail and with one of the wheel bearing rails to thereby put saidelectrically operable device in shunt with the track circuit, saidconnecting means including a contact member, and an insulatingsupportother than the cross ties, there being means associated with saidinsulatingsupport utilizing the power rail and at least one of the wheelbearing rails to predeter- Ymine the position of the contact member withrespect to the remainder of the structure and so thatit will be engagedby a car part passing along` one of the rails.

1.2. In a toy electric railroad made up of a plurality of toy tracksections connected together end to end each section comprising spacedwheel bearing rails,an insulated power rail and-cross ties to which therails are connected for unitary handling, a source of electric energyconnected with the power rail and with one of the wheel bearing rails,means by which to electrically connect an electrically operable devicein circuit with the power rail and with the mentioned wheel bearing railto thereby put said electrically operable device in shunt with the trackcircuit, and said connecting means includingan elongated contact member,a plurality of separate supporting members Jfor said contact member,said supporting members being o insulatingl material spaced apart in thelength of the conta-ct member a distance within the length of one ofsaid sections and each being constructed to utilize the power rail andone oi' the wheel bearing rails of one of said sections to hold thecontact member spaced from both of the mentioned rails of said section.

43. As an article of manufacture, an electric toy track section intendedto be attached to or removed from track forming relation with otherelectric toy track sections in the usual manner, said section beingmadel up of spaced Wheel bearing rails and an intermediate insulatedthird rail with cross-tie means by which all of the rails aremechanically connected together for unitary handling, a member comprisedin the section in addition to said rails and said cross-tie means andbeing insulated so as to be normally dead and adapted to serve as acontact to be engaged by a part of a. passing car for controlling anelectric circuit, and said contact having means by which it may beelectrically connected end to end with a similar contact comprised in anadjacent track section.

44. In a three-rail toy electric railroad made up of toy track sectionsseparably connected end to end in track forming relation, a contactstrip mounted upon one of said sections in insulated relation to thethree rails of said section adapted to serve as a contact to be engagedby a part of a. passing car for controlling an electric circuit inparallel with the train circuit, and said contact strip having means bywhich it may be connected end to end with a. similar contact strip of anadjacent section.

45. In a three rail toy electric railroad made up of a plurality ofseparate toy track sections separably connected together end to end intrack forming relation, contact means insulated from the three rails ofsaid toy railroad intended for engagement by a p-art of a passing carfor controlling an electric circuit in parallel with the train circuit,and said contact means extending across the joint between two adjacentsections and including two members separably joined together andsupported upon said two sections respectively.

46. A detachable connector for toy electric railroad track, saidconnector comprising a pair of insulating plates, a Contact strip fixedto said plates so as to be immovable with respect thereto and to servein holding said plates connected in a fixed spaced relation to eachother, the space between said plates being greater than the width of across tieof the toy railroad track to which the connector is to beattached thereby to enable said plates to be positioned at oppositesides of such cross tie when the connector is attached, and means bywhich to detachably hold said plates in position at opposite sides ofsuch cross tie with said contact strip in insulated spaced relation tosuch cross tie and in position to be engaged by a car part passing alongthe rails of the track for controlling an electric circuit.

In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature.

L. GESSFORD HANDY.

